We're sorry, an error occurred.We are unable to collect your feedback at this time. However, your feedback is important to us. Please try again later.

Key points

It’s possible to have both diseases at the same time, although it’s unlikely.

MS is often incorrectly diagnosed as lupus because the diseases share common symptoms.

Symptoms common to both diseases include joint and muscle pain and feeling very tried.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) are both
serious diseases that result from a failure of the body’s immune system to
function properly.

Multiple sclerosis

In MS, the body’s immune system damages myelin, the protective layer around
your nerves. This interferes with communication from your brain to the rest of
your body. The result is a variety of symptoms, such as:

weakness or numbness in the limbs

vision problems

fatigue

dizziness

bowel and bladder problems

There’s some debate among doctors about whether MS should be considered an
autoimmune disease. Researchers haven’t yet found the MS antigen, or the
substance that triggers the body’s immune response. Instead, MS is sometimes
referred to as an “immune-mediated” condition, rather than an autoimmune
disease.

Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system reacts against
healthy antigens. These are proteins that trigger the body’s immune response.
It’s as if the immune system can’t tell the difference between antigens that
are supposed to be in your body and infections or other foreign “invaders” that
the immune system is supposed to attack.

With lupus, your immune system attacks various parts of the body, such as:

skin

joints

internal organs

Common symptoms

MS and lupus have some distinct symptoms. People with MS may experience:

difficulty walking

vision loss

slurred speech

Lupus, on the other hand, often causes skin rashes and fever.

MS and lupus do have several things in common, however. The arthritis that
accompanies lupus can often be mistaken for joint and muscle stiffness and pain
caused by MS. The two diseases can also leave you feeling very tired.

MS and lupus are also alike in that symptoms can come and go. Lupus patients
may refer to having a “flare,” which means the symptoms are prominent. These
symptoms can include:

joint pain

rashes

weight loss

anemia

muscle aches

fatigue

Sometimes the symptoms are like those you’ve had in the past, while other
flares can bring on new symptoms.

Many people with MS also have “relapsing-remitting” symptoms. This means
signs of the disease can develop over a period of weeks and then gradually
disappear. The remission period can last a couple of months or a couple of
years. However, as the disease progresses, many symptoms tend to get worse
without going into remission. The most obvious signs of worsening MS are
walking problems.

Can you have both?

Doctors usually determine that you have MS by eliminating other conditions,
such as lupus. Both MS and lupus can be difficult to diagnose. It’s also
possible to have overlapping diseases like lupus and another autoimmune
disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis. These diseases also tend to “cluster” in
families, meaning you may have one autoimmune disease, while a sibling or
parent has a different type.

Did you know?

If you have an autoimmune disease, there’s a chance one of your family members might have a different one. Lupus, MS, and RA are all autoimmune diseases. And there are dozens of others.

While it’s unlikely to have both MS and lupus, it’s common for someone with
MS to be incorrectly diagnosed with lupus because these diseases share common
symptoms. Aside from lupus, MS actually has several other “mimic” conditions,
including Lyme disease. Part of the confusion is that there is no single
diagnostic test for MS.

Managing the disease

Neither lupus nor MS can be cured. A variety of medications can help control
symptoms. If you have both conditions, some treatments and lifestyle changes
can help treat them both:

Get
plenty of rest. Rest often helps shorten a flare, and can help you deal
with weakness and fatigue symptoms.

Engage in
regular physical activity. This can sometimes help you get through a lupus
flare faster, and can help improve your strength and coordination if you’re
dealing with the symptoms of MS.

Eat a
healthy diet. A healthy diet is recommended for everyone. But people with
lupus may have certain dietary restrictions. MS patients may also be advised to
get more vitamin D in their diet.

Practice
stress relief. Taking a class in meditation or learning relaxation
breathing techniques will help you cope with having a chronic disease. Learning
to de-stress can be even more important for lupus patients, because stress can
trigger flares.

How lupus and MS will progress in an individual is difficult to predict. You
may have mild lupus your whole life, or it may progress to be quite serious. MS
symptoms can also get severe over time, but the disease itself usually doesn’t
affect your life expectancy.

The takeaway

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, or you feel that something
“just isn’t right,” don’t hesitate to talk with your doctor. It may take some
time and a variety of tests to determine what’s wrong. But the sooner you know
what you’re dealing with, the faster you can start treating it.

Both MS and lupus present challenges with diagnosis and treatment. Being proactive
about your health and engaging with your doctor when you experience symptoms can
help you rise to that challenge.